Scottish Synod votes against adoption of the Anglican Covenant; Cardinal warns over teaching of gay marriage in schools; Street theatre evangelism’s £100,000 award by C of E
Scottish General Synod votes against adoption of the Anglican Covenant
The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church today voted against the adoption of the Anglican Covenant. Following a variety of views expressed by members of General Synod , the Motion that Synod agree in principle to adopt the Anglican Covenant was put to vote – 112 votes against; 6 votes in favour; 13 abstentions.
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane then presented a resolution on the Anglican Communion in support of Motion 27, saying “The Anglican Communion matters deeply to us in the Scottish Episcopal Church. We invoke the history of Samuel Seabury, consecrated in 1784 by the Scottish bishops as the first bishop of the church in the United States of America. We want to be part of the re-founding – the bringing to birth of a new phase of Communion life.”
Cardinal warns over teaching of gay marriage in schools
Christian Today – he head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland fears that schools will be banned from promoting traditional marriage if gay marriage is legalised.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien was responding to a legal opinion from European human rights and employment law specialist, QC Aidan O’Neill.
In his opinion, Mr O’Neill said parents will find it difficult to prevent their children from attending classes that promote homosexual marriage.
“The extension of marriage to same sex couples is not one currently required under and in terms of the European Convention of Human Rights,” he said.
“But if this is done, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights makes it clear that parents with older traditional and often religiously based views which insist on no marriage without committed and faithful heterosexual sex – will be hard-pressed to rely upon their Convention rights as parents to ensure education and teaching by the state of their children in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions.”
The legal opinion was sought by Scotland For Marriage, the advocacy group spearheading opposition to the proposed change in law north of the border…
…Cardinal O’Brien said a change in the law would “stigmatise” the beliefs of Christians and other people of faith, and “open the door to persecution and discrimination”.
“It is clear that Scotland’s schools will be banned from promoting a traditional understanding of marriage if same sex marriage becomes law,” he said.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/cardinal.warns.over.teaching.of.gay.marriage.in.schools/30033.htm
Street theatre evangelism’s £100,000 award by C of E
Street theatre evangelism is heading for Wisbech as part of a £100,000 successful bid “to seek to form a creative bridge between town and parish church life.”That was how Father Paul West summed up the award given to St Peter and St Paul’s by the Archbishops’ Council and the Church Commissioners. Parish priest Father West and his team were successful with their bid for ‘Developing Church Growth in Deprived Areas’.
http://www.wisbechstandard.co.uk/news/street_theatre_evangelism_heading_for_wisbech_as_part_of_100_000_award_by_church_of_england_1_1404790